Regulations for service providers and managers

Page last updated: 7 August 2024

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Regulation 10: Dignity and respect

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 10

The intention of this regulation is to make sure that people using the service are treated with respect and dignity at all times while they are receiving care and treatment. To meet this regulation, providers must make sure that they provide care and treatment in a way that ensures people's dignity and treats them with respect at all times. This includes making sure that people have privacy when they need and want it, treating them as equals and providing any support they might need to be autonomous, independent and involved in their local community.

Providers must have due regard to the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010.

CQC cannot prosecute providers for a breach of this regulation or of its parts, but we can take regulatory action. See the offences section for more detail.

CQC must refuse registration if providers cannot satisfy us that they can and will continue to comply with this regulation.

The regulation in full

10.—

  1. Service users must be treated with dignity and respect.
  2. Without limiting paragraph (1), the things which a registered person is required to do to comply with paragraph (1) include in particular—
    1. ensuring the privacy of the service user;
    2. supporting the autonomy, independence and involvement in the community of the service user;
    3. having due regard to any relevant protected characteristics (as defined in section 149(7) of the Equality Act 2010) of the service user.

Guidance

This sets out the guidance providers must have regard to against the relevant component of the regulation.

10(1) Service users must be treated with dignity and respect.

10(2) Without limiting paragraph (1), the things which a registered person is required to do to comply with paragraph (1) include in particular—

10(2)(a) ensuring the privacy of the service user;

10(2)(b) supporting the autonomy, independence and involvement in the community of the service user;

10(2)(c) having due regard to any relevant protected characteristics (as defined in section 149(7) of the Equality Act 2010) of the service user .